The rookie running back had 109 rushing yards and a pair of touchdowns—one receiving—in his second NFL game. He became the first Browns rookie to run for 100 yards and score on a run and a pass.

Trent Richardson piled up the stats and the highlights for the Browns in Sunday's loss to the Bengals. (AP Photo)

But it wasn't just his numbers that were impressive, it was the way he came about them.

Richardson made a name for himself at Alabama as a punishing runner with enough burst to break away from defenders. He showed that ability Sunday against the Bengals, bouncing off and running through would-be tacklers before accelerating ahead.

Perhaps even more encouraging for Browns fans was the performance of another rookie—quarterback Brandon Weeden. Also in his second NFL game, Weeden passed for 322 yards and two touchdowns, which was a drastic improvement over his dismal debut last week.

Yet two encouraging performances weren't enough for Cleveland as Cincinnati got its first win, sending the Browns to 0-2.